Our Reviews

"Pleasure, Memory tour In Ireland"

Howard R.

VA

YES! Joleen put together a wonderful itinerary for my return trip to Ashford and Dromoland Castles in Ireland. The drivers and transfers were very pleasant and always on time with very comfortable luxury transports. The castle hotels were exactly what I expected but I think Joleen must have said things in the booking process because it seemed as though they may have stepped their normal attention to details up a bit. The upgrade at Dromoland was unexpected but much appreciated! Truly felt like a prince at both locations and all things went as planned without any problems. Thank you, your staff and especially Joleen for all that was done to make this a trip to remember!

"Amazing Ireland Guided Vacation"

Douglas K.

Minneapolis

The best part of our 8-day tour of Ireland? Tour director Joan.

Joan is a perfect blend of group director, logistics manager, guide, travel buddy and fun entertainer. Her knowledge is wide and her demeanor is lively, always full of sunshine (even if the weather is not). Joan clearly understands group dynamics with the ability to easily and subtly adjust an itinerary when warranted.

Each day of our tour included historical insight from Joan with her personal lore added for context, answers to every type of question with interesting explanations, and even an occasional folk song beautifully sung. When she granted us entry into the cathedral in Killarney - her home church and school when growing up - the experience became personal and moving.

I'm certain every member of our group of 17 wants to travel again with Joan because of her gracious and fun expertise. Thank you Joan and Authentic Vacations!

"Our confidence in Authentic Vacations is sky-high"

Steve P.

Acton, MA

We returned back from our Italy vacation last week and we just wanted to thank you for what you and your team at Authentic Vacations set up for us.

As in our previous trip with your company, EVERY single private transfer and tour was ready and waiting for us -- everything went without a hitch (excepting our flight to Italy which was delayed for 22 hours and cost us to lose a full day -- no fault of your company). The hotels were incredible; some of the largest rooms I've ever seen in Europe, and the service at each was precisely what one would want; doting without being intrusive. The LivTours excursions were mostly good. The guides were very knowledgeable and hospitable at each one. The only exception was the Colosseum tour in Rome, where we felt we didn't get a tour that was commensurate with the cost (it only took us to the Colosseum floor and was only about 90 min. long -- not the 3 hour tour we expected).

However, that one criticism certainly doesn't diminish the fact that we enjoyed the trip of a lifetime. We met our last remaining Italian cousins in Ascoli Piceno, who brought us up in the mountains to the village where my grandfather was born, a day we shall never forget.

There was one destination that totally surprised us; the little city in Marche called Ascoli Piceno. This is the largest city near my Grandfather's village of Pretare, about 15 miles inland from the Adriatic coast. You found a hotel for us there called the Palazzo dei Mercanti, which was built in the 1400s and was redeveloped about 15 years ago as an upscale hotel. The hotel and its staff were marvelous (even calling our cousins for us, who speak only Italian), with modern amenities in a building with ancient ambience. But the real charm here is the city itself. Ascoli has a piazza, the Piazza del Popolo, which is almost completely untouched by the modern world. It has all the charm of Florence without the crowds. If one wants to enjoy Old Italy and they're on the East coast of Italy, this is a must see.

After two trips with you, our confidence in Authentic Vacations is sky-high. Every little detail is done, and we're able to enjoy our trip without worry. From the tickets for the excursions right down to the chocolates on the pillows at night, you provide a complete service for your customers. Please pass along our thanks to the group you have in Italy, as I know they played a large part in making the arrangements. They were even able to switch our tour of Pompeii/Mt. Vesuvius to a different day when our plane arrived a day late! And Jen, our agent, was very helpful in giving us the information we needed to make the claim with our travel insurance. You folks are the best!

"Wonderful 30th Anniversary Trip"

Steve M.

Lititz, PA, USA

We had the trip of a lifetime to Ireland (the Enchanted Ireland trip). It was an incredible small-group tour, and Joan our guide is knowledgeable, fun, and kept us on a good schedule without being rigid. As a native of Killarney, Joan shared stories, sang us songs, and truly provided a customized experience that we could not have gotten with a large group tour in a coach.

So thankful that we made this investment and trusted our trip to Authentic Vacations!